Gloom at Major European Art Fair As Boom in Sales Seen Over
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ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2009 26 Bacon fails to sell as Christie’s feels the crunch Gloom at major European art fair as boom in sales seen over MADRID, Feb 12, (Agencies): A gloomy air end we will sell less than last year,” said “There is a very, very low cash flow but I private collectors in India, the nation’s boom- surrounds ARCO, one of Europe’s biggest Floor Wullems, the director of the Annet think it is still a good investment for people, ing economy and the constant appreciation in contemporary art fairs, with particants pre- Gelink gallery in Amsterdam which dis- better than houses or stocks,” he said. value of its artists make the Indian market dicting the global financial crisis will put an played mostly black and white photographs The items on display at ARCO from “one of the most promising focal points for end to the boom in sales enjoyed in recent at the fair. Pescali’s gallery, which focuses on works contemporary art in the 21st century.” years. A total of 238 galleries from 32 nations are from Italy, ranged in price from 5,000 euros “In recent months India has become, with- “Before people would buy fast and then taking part in ARCO this year, 57 fewer gal- to 2.5 million euros ($3.2 million). out a doubt, the big star in the art market,” think about it, people now take their time to leries than in 2008 when the event drew a Some participating artists, like Britain’s ARCO organisers said in a statement posted decide,” said Fiona Liewehr, the director of record 200,000 visitors. Jodie Carey, whose works include sculptures on their website. Georg Karyl Fine Arts gallery in Vienna ARCO director Lourdes Fernandez said made up of plaster replicas of bones, believe Also: which has taken part in the fair each year some foreign galleries declined to take part in the global economic slowdown could be an LONDON: The top lot at an auction of con- since 2002. the six-day fair this year because of the glob- opportunity for younger artists like herself. temporary art failed to sell late on Among the items the gallery brought to al economic crisis. “Galleries are interested in lower prices, Wednesday, reversing the fortunes of ARCO, which opened Wednesday and runs “It is undeniable that the economic reces- and that is an opportunity for the new gener- Christie’s which held a relatively robust auc- until Monday, was a black replica of a skele- sion will affect the fair,” she told reporters on ations,” the 27-year-old told daily newspaper tion of impressionist and post-war art in ton that hung upright inside a wooden crate the eve of ARCO’s opening. “Sales will not Publico. London earlier this month. marked “fragile” in red letters by US artist be like in past years, but they will not be bad. The fair is turning its spotlight on emerg- Francis Bacon’s “Man in Blue VI”, expect- Mark Dion. We want to convince people that, even ing markets once again this year, with India ed to fetch £4-£6 million in London, was During boom times, contemporary art was though there is a crisis, art in a very important as the featured country. Brazil was the spot- shunned, and overall the post-war and con- sought after by the new rich as a badge of component in people’s lives, it is enriching lighted nation in 2008. temporary sale raised £8.4 million ($12.1 affluence as much as luxury cars and brand- and a good investment,” she added. Thirteen galleries and 50 artists are taking million), far below the expected range of ed jewellery. Fallen part in the “Panorama India showcase put £15.1-£21.8 million. But with Spain and most major European Daniele Pescali, who runs the Imago Art together by Mumbai-based curator Bose At the same sale last year, a Bacon triptych economies facing their worst recession in gallery in London, said now is a good time to Krishnamachari who said he had sought to sold for £26.3 million and the sale fetched years, art galleries are finding it harder to sell Two women, view an art work called ‘Last Supper – Gaza’ by Vivek Vilasini,from India invest in contemporary art since prices have highlight “talent and creativity” during reces- £72.9 million, then the second highest total contemporary works. at the ARCO International Art Fair in Madrid, Feb 11. India is the guest country at fallen between 15 and 25 percent over the sionary times. for a Christie’s contemporary and post-war “People have no money to spend. In the ARCO this year. (AP) past six months. Organisers said the rise in the number of sale held in London. click art Latest Continued from Page 25 25653006. E-mail: membership@darmuse- um.org.kw Website: www.darmuseum.org.kw Moderated by: Ahmed Khaja. Dr Marina Tolmacheva is the President of the American University of Kuwait (AUK). The winner of a number of prestigious grants and fellowships, she contributed many articles to academic publications and published The Pate Chronicle in Swahili and English. In addition, Dr Tolmacheva contributed several chapters to the four-volume series ‘Arabic sources for the ethnography and history of Africa south of the Sahara’ in Arabic and Russian. Prior to joining AUK, she taught his- tory and Islamic civilization at Washington NEW YORK, Feb 12, (AP): State University, where she was Director of The rusty, crumpled, metal the Asia Program and an Associate Dean. shell sits in a large room, thousands of miles (kilome- Feb 17 ters) from a popular Iraqi KTAA monthly meeting: The Kuwait book market where the car Textile Arts Association (KTAA) under the was destroyed in a suicide auspices of Al-Sadu House warmly invites bomb attack that killed 38 you to its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb people in 2007. 17, at 07:00 pm. Doors open at 06:30 pm. The car, a raw reminder of The guest speaker this month is Noha Al the six-year Iraqi conflict, Mansour. This highly acclaimed Kuwaiti is the only fashion designer will speak on her new cloth- object in a ing line in which she has incorporated Sadu new show designs. The venue is Al-Sadu House, Arabian Gulf whose goal Street. Entry is free to members. Non-mem- is to get bers are required to pay KD2/-. For more people talk- information please contact: ing about [email protected] Iraq. Meant to be Feb 18 politically Deller Yarn & Fibre group meeting: In neutral, the January the Yarn and Fibre group, a sub- unscripted project, “It Is group of the Kuwait Textile Art Association, What It Is: Conversations was revived at Sadu House. This group is About Iraq,” opened at the back in action to address the need for fibre art New Museum on activity in the KTAA community. Wednesday. It was con- There was a ‘show and tell’ from partici- pants plus an interesting talk and slide-show ceived by British artist by Dr Ali Najadah, Assistant Professor of Jeremy Deller, acclaimed Design, a weaving consultant to Sadu House for his collaborative proj- and a well-known international artist. ects. It is envisaged that people bring their own Deller has arranged a cozy handwork to work on during the monthly cluster of couches in the meetings plus share their skills in a relaxed center of the vast gallery — environment. the kind of space that Please join us on 3rd Wednesday morning invites conversation. The of each month. Next meeting is Feb 18 at car, which he variously six-week exhibition. Creative Times, a New who spent 10 months in While violence in Baghdad 09:30 am at Sadu House on the Gulf road. All Deller launched the project York City arts organiza- northwest Baghdad in is noticeably down today, welcome. describes as a metaphor for Please contact Patricia Redding at ktaa- a corpse or a piece of evi- because “short of going to tion. 2007, is one of the two resi- another of the experts, [email protected] or 99368147, or dence, lies off to the right. Iraq itself, there is no sub- After closing in New York dents making the trip who Nour Al-Khal, hopes to Phillipa Anderson, 97349046. It is the touchstone of the stitute for meeting someone on March 25, Deller and hopes to deepen the Iraqi convey through her own project, a visual aid for who has actually lived two of the residents and a understanding beyond the experience the fear and A car that was blown up Feb 20 sparking conversation there, or been there,” he curator will board an RV headlines. destruction that has con- in an attack on a crowd- IPC courses: The Women section of Islam among the public and a said. The 42-year-old artist for a cross-country trip to Esam Pasha, a 32-year-old sumed the lives of Iraqis ed book market in central Presentation Committee will be conducting a rotating cast of Iraqi won Britain’s Turner Prize California, the destroyed Iraqi artist who now lives until recently. Baghdad is on display as new course for ladies irrespective of their reli- refugees, soldiers, journal- in 2004 for “Memory car in tow. They will stop in in New London, Al-Khal was working as a part of exhibit entitled ‘It gions in Arabic Language accessible for ists and other experts offer- Bucket,” a documentary on at least 10 major cities, Connecticut, is also going translator for British and Is What It Is: beginners and higher level starting on Feb 20.